


Lost Lovers

by Starfruit



Category: Free!
Genre: Based off the Ending I guess, Boys' Love, Drama, I Don't Even Know, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-08
Updated: 2013-10-08
Packaged: 2017-12-28 20:39:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,397
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/996430
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Starfruit/pseuds/Starfruit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Captain of the Guard felt damned to have fallen for the Merchant who was imprisoned for unknowingly harboring a fugitive. But their love is one that even death cannot end.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lost Lovers

The moon shown in through the window high in the stone wall. The three metal bars cast long shadows onto their snuggled bodies. The redhead had brought all the blankets available to him to keep his imprisoned lover warm throughout the cold desert nights. 

His amber eyes looked softly upon the other man’s sleeping form - even more gentle than his kind conscious self. How could someone so beautiful and pure be trapped in a place like this, stripped of his rights and happiness? He wished that he could somehow aid him in an escape – that they could run away together and start over somewhere new. Instead, he remained Captain of the guard and it was his job to make sure his lover stayed locked away until the end of days. 

Curse that raven-haired assassin. Had only the tender Merchant not hid the killer in his shop, then they wouldn’t be in the predicament they were in now. Yet, had that happened, the Captain would not have met his sweetheart. Still, the conditions of their first encounter were so wretched and foul, the Captain refused to even think of it. 

“Why are you still awake?” the Merchant asked, emerald eyes slowly opening. “You should get some rest.”

The Captain placed a gentle kiss on his beloved’s forehead then wrapped an arm around his nude body. Their clothes had been cast away and replaced with each other’s lips, hands, embrace. 

“I can’t sleep,” the Captain admitted, tightening his grip and shutting his eyes. He made like he would say more, but instead just grasped his darling even closer. 

The Merchant smiled sadly, running a hand through blazing red hair. “If our love pains you then please don’t visit me anymore. It hurts seeing you like this and to know it’s me who’s causing you–”

“It’s not your fault!” The Captain replied, sitting up and clenching a fist in anger. “It’s that evil, selfish Sultan’s. You are guilty of no crime other than an ignorant kindness. And here I am helpless to help you.”

The Merchant chuckled softly. “It’s fine,” he assured, reaching up to his lover’s neck and leading him to lay back beside him. He stroked the Captain’s collar bone lovingly, soothingly. “You forget that even our love is a crime punishable by death. We are lucky to even have this time together. Even if it’s it only for a few brief moments, I am happy to see you. Sleep, please, I want you to rest.”

But emotion welled up within the Captain, he had been once again thrown into the throes of passion, his body burning. He brought their lips together in an affectionate kiss. Neither of them would sleep that night. 

***

Tired, hungry, thirsty, they marched further into the desert. Both understood what their fate was, staring at it in the form of nothing but sand and heat, still they marched on. Hope lingered in their hearts like a drop of water at the bottom of their dry canteens. 

They had been caught in their sinful hold from the night and chased out of the city. Their escape was successful though it sealed a different end for the pair. 

The Merchant fell to his knees, the Captain rushing to his side. 

“Don’t stop!” he said, readying himself to carry his lover. “We must go on!” 

“I can’t,” the Merchant cried, tears unable to form tears in his eyes. “I can’t go on.”

The Captain could feel the same pain rising in his own heart and he knew this was where their journey ended, the sun blazing on their weak and withering bodies. He swallowed and laid his partner onto the ground, taking a place beside him. 

“Then let’s rest,” the Captain suggested, licking his parched lips. “Let’s rest right here.”

The Merchant gave a serene smile, gazing amorously at his treasured Captain. He could feel his pain melt away and everything he needed was right there. 

“We didn’t get much of a chance this time around,” the Merchant said, brushing a hair from his lover’s golden eyes. “But let’s love each other in the next life as well.”

“Of course,” the Captain replied, placing a soft peck on the Merchant’s forehead. “I will always love you. Until the end of time itself.”

The Merchant’s eyes began to close. He was so tired. Very, very tired. 

“Sleep,” the Captain said, a mixture of peace and agony swelling inside his chest. He gripped onto the other man’s hands tightly. “Please, I want you to rest.”

☼☼☼

Seijuurou remembered the first time he had met Tachibana Makoto. It was before the redhead has his growth spurt and he looked upon the brunet enviously at a swim meet. His jealously of Makoto’s height motivated him to do well and show off. _Who cares if you’re tall if you don’t have talent like mine?!_ He had thought, but when Makoto pat him on the back and told him good job, his feelings changed. 

That smile felt familiar. He thought to himself that he remembered that smile despite having zero recollection of anything like it. His heart was flooded with a pleasing ache. Did he forget something important? He felt as though he had forgotten something. All he knew is that he wanted Makoto to tell him good job again. 

It was towards the end of the school year, Seijuurou would be going off to college soon enough, during Samezuka and Iwatobi’s joint practice when Seijuurou realized that he was definitely in love with Makoto. Watching the other swim mesmerized him and seeing the way he beamed up at the person helping him out the pool was so benevolent that he perfectly resembled an angel. 

“Good job, Tachibana!” Seijuurou commented, standing proud of the full four centimeters he now had over Makoto. 

Makoto blushed slightly at the compliment. “Thanks!” 

Seijuurou’s chest felt like it would implode. Could a big dude like Makoto be any more heavenly?! He couldn't fully understand himself and didn't really care that he couldn't, all he knew was that he wanted to hug Makoto and feel secure in a returned embrace. That’s all he wanted and he wanted it really badly.

“L-let’s p-go out on a d-date!” Seijuurou suddenly sputtered, loudly at that. His mind was muddled and excited and his words didn’t come out quite right and he was embarrassed, but that was what wanted to say. His whole body went as red as his hair. He regretted stuttering such a thing, but at the same time, didn’t. He wasn’t sure _what_ to think honestly. 

Silence. Every member of both team stared at the scene, Makoto and Seijuurou blushing very noticeably. 

But eventually Makoto let out a sweet titter and said, “Sure!” 

Seijuurou was so happy, he could cry. 

♥♥♥

Sometimes Makoto forgot that he had really known Seijuurou for only about how long they’d been together – 26 years. He felt like they'd known each other their whole lives, maybe longer. He knew almost everything there was to know about Seijuurou yet still every day managed to feel like a new adventure. 

Seijuurou slammed his fists down onto their kotatsu. “Damn this government!” he cursed, scrolling through a news article on his laptop. “I still don’t understand why they’re so afraid of gay marriage!”

“Now, now,” Makoto said, sipping his tea. “It’ll get there one day…”

Seijuurou groaned and lied his head on the table. “Ugh! But I want to marry my Mako-chan now~”

“You look tired, you should go get some sleep,” Makoto suggested, placing a hand onto Seijuurou’s messy locks and stroking them gently.

“I can’t,” Seijuurou replied tiredly. He yawned. “There’s justice to be done…!”

Makoto chuckled. “Then let it get done tomorrow.”

“If I keep putting it off then it’ll take forever.”

“You’re still such a child,” Makoto yawned as well. “We can just get married in the next life.”

Seijuurou smirked at this, sitting up and holding his darling’s hand so that he could place a small peck upon it. 

“That works,” he said. “Considering we have time since…”

On his laptop, Seijuurou didn’t notice the story about the excavation site findings of two human skeletons archaeologists deemed the “lost lovers.” The fossils were found far from societal remains causing scientists to believe that the hand-in-hand couple must’ve been either escapees or lost. 

“I will always love you. Until the end of time itself.”

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know... I just... I don't know.


End file.
